Do we want a huge hotel complex built on the West Kirby waterfront? One of the things I like best about living in West Kirby is its tranquil village atmosphere. Chester, Birkenhead and Liverpool and close enough should broader shopping or theatres or similar be required. But here we have a precious haven from that faster pace of life. That’s how locals like it. That’s why people come to live here. Some teenagers might grumble that there’s nothing much for them to do, and certainly the traffic can be surprisingly heavy for a small place. But the beaches, woodlands and parks easily balance this out, and our low crime rate is another attraction for many residents, who often heave a sigh of relief when the main tourist season is over and we can have “our” village and beach back again. Local shops no doubt benefit from the influx of summer visitors, but this hotel is to have a shopping complex built on its ground floor. This will bring more competition to the already struggling local

The administrative team of this year’s Preditors & Editors Readers Poll have alerted me to the fact that my short story, Seagull Inn has been nominated! I am totally surprised by this! People have until midnight tonight (Jan 15th) to cast their votes. To vote for my story, visit:- http://www.critters.org/predpoll/shortstorysf.shtml where the entries are listed by alphabetical order of title. To vote for me as an author, visit:- http://www.critters.org/predpoll/author.shtml As you may recall, Seagull Inn featured in an anthology titled Ruins Terra , edited by Eric T Reynolds and published last year by Hadley Rille Books.

On Friday 4th, I attended a supporters' event at the new Echo Arena in Liverpool. Due to my role as an ambassador for the city throughout its status as the European Capital of Culture 2008 , I had been invited, along with other ambassadors and volunteers, for a preview of the building. Several local bands, including Major Major, Forsaken and The Farm, performed on stage, with local radio DJ Pete Price introducing both them and braving the mic to sing When you Walk Through a Storm – a rather clichéd choice, in my opinion. This event enabled the arena staff to have a dry run prior to its official opening celebrations. While the plain interior is entirely utilitarian, this new arena can seat 10,000 people, and will herald a new era of entertainment in Liverpool, which apparently boasts the fastest growing economy of any other British city. However, a cardinal crime was committed by the catering, which ran out of milk. No milk for my cup of tea? Bah! Sooooo, what else is new….